Chang Zheng     CZ-2E /-F

China National Space Administration * China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)*  China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)

Bereits 1990 wurde die CZ-2E zum Transport vornehmlich schwere Nutzlasten in einen LEO entwickelt. Sie besteht aus einer gegenüber der CZ-3A und CZ-3B nochmals um 1,39 m auf 24,66 m verlängerten ersten Stufe, zwei Starthilfen von 15,33 m Länge und 38 t flüssigen Treibstoff, einer neuen verlängerten zweiten Stufe mit 86 t Treibstoff und einem modifizierten Triebwerk YF-20D. Zum Transport von geostationären Satelliten kann eine Kick-Stufe (PAM-D2=Star 63F oder die Eigenentwicklung EPKM = FG-46/SpaB-170 aufgesetzt werden. In der Entwicklung ist eine neue Kick-Stufe ETS, die für den Start multibler Nutzlasten verwendet werden kann.  Die Nutzlastkapazität der CZ-2E beträgt 9,2 t für einen LEO oder GTO 3,4 t. Als Nutzlastbucht wird ein 10,50 oder 12,00 m langer und 4,20 m breiter Fairing vorgehalten.
 

Ab 2000 startet die China Space Agency (C.S.A.) ein bemannbares Raumschiff mit Rückkehrkapsel. Für diese Aktivitäten wurde das Startzentrum Xichang mit der entsprechenden Infrastruktur ausgebaut. Zum Start der auf Basis der russischen Soyuz-Kapseln konstruierten Kombination wird eine als  CZ-2F benannte Trägerrakete verwendet, die bis um 1,0 m verlängerte Starthilfen der CZ-2E weitgehend entspricht. Bereits seit Mai 1999 waren Trägerrakete und Nutzlast montiert. Der erste, noch unbemannte Start erfolgte am 19.11.1999. Mittlerweile sind insgesamt 7 Shenzhou-Raumschiffe in eine Erdumlaufbahn gestartet worden. Die ersten vier waren noch unbemannt. Mit Shenzhou-7 ist es China am 27.09.2008 als dritte Weltraum-Macht gelungen, den Ausstieg  eines Taikonauten in den Weltraum zu organisieren.

CZ-2E launch vehicle is developed on the basis of the flight proven technology of CZ-2C. Its conceptual design began in 1986. After its successful test flight in July, 1990, CZ-2E was introduced into the world launch services market. At the very beginning, the CZ-2E was selected by customers to launch Australian communications satellites. After 5 successful launches with CZ-2E for commercial satellites and with necessary modifications, CZ-2F, an upgraded version of CZ-2E, was developed and on November 20,1999 it performed a successful test flight for a China's unmanned spacecraft (CZ-2F).
CZ-2E is a 2-stage liquid propellant launch vehicle with 4 boosters trapped on to the first stage developed on the basis of CZ-2C. It is specially dedicated for launching different spacecraft for LEO, SSO and GTO missions.
Its launch capability for LEO mission is 9,500 kg. With a perigee kick motor - EPKM (2E Perigee Kick Motor), its capability for GTO mission is 3,500 kg. To accommodate mobile communications satellite market, the CZ-2E with a three-axis stabilized upper stage - ETS (2E Top Stage) is capable of launching multiple satellites into different LEO. The static envelope diameter of the CZ-2E fairing is 3,800 mm.

CZ-2E Launch Vehicle
is a large-scale two stage liquid launch vehicle with 4 strap-on boosters (2.25m in diameter, 15m long), developed based on the mature technologies of CZ-2C. It is mainly used for launching Low Earth Orbit (LEO) payloads, and also can be used for conducting Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Geo-synchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) missions with proper upper stage.
The successful development of CZ-2E makes China handle the know-how of 36 key technologies, including strap-on booster, propellant-utilization system and large-scale launch pad, etc., which plays important role in Chang Zheng launch vehicle's participation in the international launch services market.
With a solid upper stage, EPKM, mounted on the second stage of CZ-2E, CZ-2E/EPKM can be used for launching GTO satellites, and had successfully sent AsiaSat-2 and Echostar-1 satellites in Nov. and Dec. of 1995. With a maneuver upper stage ETS, CZ-2E can conduct MEO Multi-launch missions. The typical LEO launch capability of CZ-2E/ETS is 6.06 tons (h=1000km, i=53deg.).

The first stage is with adapter 28.456 meters long. It employs storable propellants, i.e. N2O4 (stored in the oxidizer tank) and UDMH (stored in the fuel tank). The first stage is equipped with DaFY6-2 engine, which is composed of four engines in parallel attached to the first stage. The thrust of each engine is 75t. With the help of servo-mechanism, the four engines can swing in tangential directions for attitude-adjustment with maximum deflection angle of 10 deg.
There are 4 boosters strapped on the Stage-1. Each booster is 15.326 meters long. It employs storable propellants, i.e. N2O4  (stored in the oxidizer tank) and UDMH (stored in the fuel tank). Each booster is equiped with DaFY5-1 engine, whose thrust is 75t. The nozzle of the engine is fixed.
The second stage is extended to 10.448 meters long (without adapter). It employs storable propellants, i.e. N2O4 (in the oxidizer tank) and UDMH ( in the fuel tank). There are one main engine (DaFY20-1) and four vernier engines (DaFY21-1) on the second stage. The thrust of the main engine is 75t, and the thrust of each vernier engine is 4.8t. The nozzle of the main engine is fixed, and the nozzles of four vernier engines can swing in tangential directions for attitude-adjustment with maximum deflection angle of 60 deg.
ETS is a three-axis stabilized upper stage compatible with two-stage CZ-2E. ETS consists of Payload Adapter and Orbital Maneuver System (OMS). The OMS consists of main structure, solid motor (SM), control system, reaction control system (RCS) and telemetry system. The total impulse of the solid motor depends on the specific mission requirements.

The fairing consists of dome, forward cone section, cylindrical section and reverse cone section. The dome shell and forward cone section are made of fiberglass structure. The cylindrical section is made of aluminum honeycomb sandwich structure. The reverse cone section is made of chemical-milled aluminum structure. The typical CZ-2E/ETS fairing is 4.2m in diameter, and 10.448m in length. The length of the fairing can be adjusted according to different mission requirements. The maximum Fairing static envelope is 3.8m in diameter.

CZ-2E injects SC/ETS stack into a transfer orbit, ETS is ignited at the apogee and enters the target orbit. Then ETS re-orients the stack according to the requirements and deploys the spacecrafts.